Downdraft continuous brick-kiln.



PATENTBD FEB.3,1903.

A. YYATES. DOWNDRAIT CONTINUOUS BRICK KILN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.`

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED P13113,V 1903.

` A. YATES. DOWNDRAPT CONTINUOUS BRICK KILN.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 22. 1901.

N0 MODEL` 3 SHEETS-SHEET Z. al A PATBNTED PEB. a, 190s.

A. YATES.` DOWNDRAFT CONTINUOUS BRICK KILN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1901.

N0 MODEL.

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, .To al?, whom it may concern:

NITED STATES PATENT FFCE.

ALFRED YATES, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DOWNDRAFT CONTINUOUS BRICK-KILN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,974, dated February 3, 1903.

Appncanon ined April 22.1901.

Be it known that I, ALFRED YATES, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Downdraft Continuous Brick-Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to brick-kilns; and it refers particularly to improvements not existing in my previous patent, No. 264,118, of date September 12, 1882.

Theimproved features of my present invention consist in the arrangement of the flues within and beneath the kiln-licor, the employment of dampers to regulate the currents of air and heat, the radial partition-walls provided with arched openings at the bases thereof, the construction of a permanent floor over a labyrinth of air-passages, the arrangement of the several diverse courses of bricks upon the oor of the chambers, the temporary Hashwalls surmounting the tire-walls, the combination of several connected accessible chambers adapted to the diverse operations of brick making simultaneously under one dome, and in other fundamental changes in construction and acquisition of new features hereinafter enumerated, the above aggregation comprising a vertical downdraft continuous kiln.

I attain the objects of my invention by the oblong and circular construction illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed, in which- Figure 1 is a ground plan exhibiting the flues within and beneath the iioor ofthe kiln. Fig. 2 is a plan denoting the several consecutive workings and also illustrating the manner of laying down the check and draft courses of brick preliminary to the piling of the stacks preparatory to the burning. Fig. 3 exhibitsin longitudinal transverse section the constnction of the kiln-walls, arrangement of the fines and chambers, and the disposition of the furnaces on dashed line 3 3 of Fig. 4, with the floor of two end chambers in horizontal section to exhibit the system of parallel arches and passages leading therefrom, with the auxiliary flues and passages connecting with the main i'lues leading to the chimneys. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal central section exhibiting the arches and air-spaces in the walls and serai No. 56,813. (No mtas.)

floor with the Iiues and their connection with the chimneys on dashed line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa plan of the flues and passages of the circular kiln, and Fig. 6 a transverse section of the kiln constructed above said flues and passages.

Correspoudi ng letters of reference designate like parts throughout the drawings, referring to which- A represents the central yard, accessible by openings through the inner wall of one or more of the chambers when empty, as in Fig. 3, wherein are situated a series of furnaces B in the inner wall C of. the kiln, adjacent and parallel to which arises the dashwall D. the intervening space E permits the heated air from the furnaces B to pass up and over the said flash-wall D, whence it circulates downwardly through the stacked goods. The arrangement of the outer wall C', the series of furnaces B', the fiash-wall D D2, and the intervening spaces E E2 are identical in their construction and operation, the heat radiating in a similar manner. After ramifyin g through the stacked wares the heat passes through the check and draft rows, Fig. 2, underlying all the wares downwardly, and through the skintle-bricks G, filling the smaller radial open flues H H2 HS in the kilnlicor, Fig. 3. Thence the heat radiates through the arched fines L into the transverse passages L2, passing into the inner and outer auxiliary iiues L3 L4, finally reaching the main fines I I lowest situated underground parallel with the main walls of the kiln, the products of combustion escaping through the inside and outside chimneys .I J', Fig. 3, the former, J, connecting with the inner main flueLwhile the latter,.I',communicates with the outer main flue I'. The main walls are eflicien tly strengthened by ordinary vertical channel-irons and tie-rods, properly connected, as illustrated, and furnished with entrances to each chamber, which are sealed up temporarily while the goods are being burned. The partition-walls are shown at C2 separating the individual kilns or chambers K, wherein the various processes of brick-making are simultaneously developed and which will subsequently be described. Arches L, Fig. 4E, are formed in the base of each partition-wall C2 near the ioor to per- ICO struction shown in Fig. 3.

mit a free circulation throughout the series of chambers K, the volume of air thereto being controlled by the depending covers M, supported by and sliding upon ledges N, projecting from the partitionwalls C2. Said covers M are manipulated by hand-rods O, thrust through openings in the inner or outer Walls C C' or through both, as desired.

Upon the permanent dash-walls D D', Fig. 4,. are laid the temporary dash-Walls D2, whose purpose is to confine the heat within the stack of burning wares while following the shrinkage thereof occasioned by the heat.

The floors of the several chambers or kilns K are permanently laid down over a series of parallel arched flues L', Fig. 3, to insure additionalradiating-surface under each chamber, thus utilizing the surplus heated air from the bottoms of the kilns and to assist in drawing the heat away from the lower courses of burning wares, which'then produces brick of a uniform hardness with those in remote parts of the stacks. Said arches collectively communicate with radial passages L2 near the base of each of the partitionwalls C2 and also with the radial passages L6 L7 and the open flues H' H2 H3. Said passages also connect with the subterranean auxiliary passages L2 L4, following the contour of the inner and outer fines I I', and thus permit a distribution of this heated air through the arches L' into passages L2 L6 L7, thence to auxiliary flues L2 L4, controlled by dampers P' P' and the dampers P P, which direct the air-currents into the air-spaces E' and into the chambers` their separate manipulation being hereinafter explained.

The above description applies to the con- The draft in the round kiln, Fig. 6, being controlled by dampers similarly located, the heat from the inner and outer series of furnaces, Fig. 6,1'illing the several flues and passages entering the flues 12, Fig. 5, thence converging to the central chimney J4 and passing O to the atmosphere.

Underlying the wares to be Yburned. are the skintle, draft, check, and bond courses, Fig. 2, comprising brick, preferably, permanently laid down upon their edges to form a foundation for the wares to be burned and also to insure a uniform circulation and distribution of hot air for drying and burning and cold air for cooling the goods. The skintle-brick are diagonally laid, one above another, as at G, filling the depth and length of the flues H' H2 H3 to the height of the draft-rows F, Which are next laid upon the ioor of each chamber In the utilization of these kilns the followingrprocesses are concurrent: (see Fig. 2,) first, setting green brick; second, watersmoking and drying; third, clearing; fourth, burning brick; fifth, cooling off same; sixth, removing the wares, the several workings being well known to those skilled in this art and need but brief mention in the subsequent disclosure. The operation of watersmoking and drying, assuming several chambers filled with green brick, proceeds as follows: The fuel is ignited in the inner and outer furnaces connected with the chamber to be dried, the heat entering through firearches Bv B' in base of main walls C C' and ascending the air-spaces E E', passing over the flash and temporary flash Walls D D', filling the chambers K K,thence descending through the mass of green bricks or clay goods stacked inthe several chambers distributes through the check and draft rows F F' F2 with a uniform radiation, passinginto the open liues H' H2 H3, piled with loose brick, which may be temporarily or permanently laid, thence into the arched liues L', through radial passages L2 L6 L'7 into auxiliary flues L3 L4 and into inner and outer main iiues I I', which lead to and connect with the chimneys J J'. The dampers meanwhile are regulated to increase the draft in the desired direction or reduce it proportionately, as follows: For convenience the green wares may be divided into three or more vertical sections of bulk in each chamber and dried in such order, commencing with chamber No. l, Fig. 3, the heat traveling to the right in flues I I' L3 L4. The dampers P P in the flues L5 L5 connecting with the inner and outer auxiliary flues are opened, permitting the heat to pass into the air-spaces E2, while the dampers P' P' are closed to prevent the heat traveling rearwardly along the auxiliary flues L3 L4. The heat now radiates over the dash-wall, descending through the mass of goods into the first iue H', thence into the arched flues L', returning under the floor and emptying into the first radial passage L2. The dampers P2 P2 are now opened, heat passing forward or to the right along the auxiliary flues L3 L4 until the irst section is water-smoked and dried. They are then closed and the dampers P3 P3 are opened, the heat traveling, as before, through flues H2 and passage L6 until the next section is water-smoked and dried. Said dampers are then closed and dampers P4 P4 are opened, heat entering through flue H2 and passage L7 into flues L2 L4 until the last section is water-smoked and dried. (See arrows, Fig. 4t.) Following the evaporation of the exudation from the green clay the dampers P' P' are closed, with dampers P P open and covers M M (previously closed) opened, thus regulated to draw off the smoke and clarify the goods preparatory to burning. This stage is known as clearing. At intervals are placed the short lines I4 I4, connecting the auxiliary iiues L3 L4 with the main IOC IIO

flues I I'. Dampers P5 are provided therein Whose ofiice is to check the heat from passing into the latter flues and escaping `through the chimneys during the operation of drying. The main flues I I' are additionally dampered contiguous to the chimneys, as at PG P6, and also in the exits I5 I5, entering said chimneys, by dampers P7 P7. These may be considered the principal dam pers controlling the system. The heat is now augmented, and the firing proceeds until the bricks are sufficiently burned. In this way the system is conducted in a consecutive manner from one chamber to the other, the waste heat drying the green goods in advance, the dampers, similarly situated in each chamber, being regulated as in` the previous example, the Water-smoking and drying preceding the clearing and burning. After the latter operation is completed the several covers and dampers are regulated to exclude the heat from the goods that have been burned and from such chambers and the ensuing stage of cooling-off is reached. After a sufficient time has elapsed removing the brick completes the operation. Succinctly, this illustrates the working capacity of my improved continuous vertical downdraft, oblong, and round kiln.

Having ascertained these improvements through the preferred details of construction illustrated, they are subject to modifications which would not depart from the spirit `of my invention and are intended to be included in the claims.

I claim- 1. A brick-kiln having a series of chimneys without the outer wall, the outside subterranean main `iiues coacting with said chimneys, the series of chimneys situated within the inner wall, the inside subterranean main flue arranged to coact with vsaid inside chimneys, the exits to the chimneys from said outside` and inside subterranean fines and the dampers P6 in said flues and dampers P in said exits to govern the draft substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

2. In a vertical downdraft-kiln for burning brick the combination with the inner and outer main iiues I, I', the ilues L', the passages L2, the auxiliary flues L2, L4, and the open flues H', H2, H3, of the short lues I4 connecting said auxiliary flues with the main flues, and the dampers P5 adapted to check the heat, when desired,from passing into said auxiliary and main flues and escaping through the chimneys when drying out the wares substantially in the manner specified.

3. In a downdraft brick-kiln the combination with the several chambers, the open ues leading therefrom, the arched flues beneath the chambers, the passages leading from the arched fines, the auxiliary flues connected with each end of said passages, the short lines I4, and the main inner and outer dues, of the iiues L5, L5, connecting the auxiliary iiues with the air-spaces E2 in the partition-walls C2 and the dampers P permitting heat to pass into said air-spaces, when the dampers P' in said auxiliary iiues are'closed substantially as and for the purpose set forth. i

4. In a kiln adapted to setting, drying, clearing and burning brick simultaneously, the com bination with the subterranean arched flues L', the radial passages L2, the auxiliary distributing-passages L3, L4, and the, open lues H', I-I2, H2, of the underground flue I, communicating with the chimneys in the yard, and the flue I', similarly situated, connecting with the chimneys outside the kiln- Walls, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with the arched subterranean iiues, the radial passages leading therefrom, the auxiliary dues communicating with said passages, the outer and inner main fines and the dampers PG P7 governing the fine circulation, of the series of chambers collectively forming a continuous kiln, provided with open flues establishing connection with the arched subterranean flues and coacting circulating-passages, and having means adjacent to the iioors of said chambers to allowT unixnpeded air circulation throughout the kiln and the means integral with the chamber-,walls C2 to retard and accelerate said air circulation substantially as specified- 6. In a brick-kiln, the outside chimneys arranged to coact with the outer and subterranean El u e, the inside chimneys arranged to coact with the inside subterranean flue, the open lues H', H2, H3, adapted to draw the heat from the burning stacks, the series of parallel arches beneath the fioorsof the chambers,the transverse passages communicating therewith, the inside and outside auxiliary iiues arranged to receive and distribute the heat, the main inner and outer iues communicating with their respective chimneys, and the dampers P2, P3, P4, at each end of said passages L2, LG, L", to govern the draft and conserve the heat within the kiln substantially in the manner specified.

7. The hereinbefore described arrangement of the inside and outside flues connecting with the inside and outside chimneys, the system of lues and passages distributing air and heat and the dampers therein governing such distribution, in combination therewith the series of communicating chambers having lines for the vertical downward transmission of air `to said system of dues and passages and means provided on the iioor of each chamber arranged to secure uniform circulation and form a foundation substantially as described and illustrated for the body of green brick preparatory to being cured and burned.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 19th day of March, A. D. 1901.

ALFRED YATES.

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